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How in the world do I potty train my boys??

Potty Training Concepts has the answer:

While there is definitely no right or wrong way to potty train a boy, most potty training experts will recommend that toddler boys should be potty trained sitting down. Even the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends encouraging & teaching toddler boys to urinate sitting down.

The major reason for this recommendation is to keep things simple by teaching them to sit for both urination and bowel movements. Other reasons include the logistics involved in managing the equipment for both types of training and the effort required to clean up while they learn to aim properly.

My personal recommendation is to first teach your son to potty training sitting down. Once he completely potty trained for both and is accident free, then I would recommend training him to pee standing up like his father and brothers!!

Keep it Simple and Bowel Movement Training:

Most parents would agree that potty training your toddler son includes not only teaching him to urinate in a potty or toilet, but also to make bowel movements in the potty or toilet. And for bowel movement training, you will have to teach your toddler son to sit down on a potty or the toilet.

So, then if you decide to teach your son to pee standing up, you will have to teach him to have a bowel movement sitting down - that means teaching your son two different things. This can get confusing for a toddler.

Let's take a look at the potty training process in detail from the child's perspective. 

It starts with body awareness and the ability to associate a feeling of fullness with the need to eliminate and the result i.e. a BM or urination. This awareness starts at about age 1 and until now (for the last 1-2 years), when you child has this feeling, he simply goes ahead and eliminates in his diaper or pull ups. Now you want him to learn that when he has this feeling he has to stop and find his way to the potty. Then he has to remove his clothing and then sit or stand on the potty depending on which feeling he has and then eliminate.

So, from your child's perspective you are already asking him to do a lot - and by trying to teach your child to stand while urinating and sit while having a bowel movement, you are asking him to only learn and identify the feeling of fullness, but to differentiate the two feeling and make a decision to sit or stand.

Having said that, bowel movements usually occur with urination, and if you child is sitting down to urinate, he may have a bowel movement at the same time and thus make the whole potty training process a lot easier.

Happy Easter

To be added....

....when we get the chance!

What do you think of the new look?

Where have we been?

Well....in our backyard! We got a new structure out back and Easton is loving it!

I'll let the pictures do the talking

Not to mention we got a new roof!

The Terrible Twos

From About.com

No one looks forward to the terrible twos, a developmental stage that usually begins sometime in the toddler years.

Although many parents don't expect the terrible twos to start until their toddler is two years old, it is important to note that it can begin anytime during your child's second year, and so anytime after their first birthday, and unfortunately, sometimes even before.

Characterized by toddlers being negative about most things and often saying 'no', the terrible twos may also find your toddler having frequent mood changes and temper tantrums.

To help you cope with this normal stage in your child's development, you should always remember that your child isn't trying to be defiant or rebellious on purpose. He is just trying to express his growing independence and doesn't have the language skills to easily express his needs. This can also be the reason why your toddler frequently gets frustrated and resorts to hitting,biting, and temper tantrums when he doesn't get his way.

By learning more about this normal stage in your child's development, it can make it easier to get through it and make sure that you aren't contributing to more battles than are necessary.

Other tips for helping your toddler during the terrible twos include:

• having a regular routine for meals, naps, bedtime, etc. and try to stick to them each day
  
• offer limited choices only, like 'would you like apples or oranges for your snack' and not just 'what do you want for your snack.' This helps your toddler feel like he is making some decisions and has power over things, but he isn't able to choose unacceptable alternatives.
  
• learn to set limits about things and don't be surprised when your toddler tries to test those limits to see what he can get away with
  
• don't give in to tantrums
  
• begin to use time-out and taking away privileges as discipline techniques
  
• provide your toddler with a safe environment that is well childproofed to explore and play in. It really isn't fair that your toddler should get in trouble for playing with something he isn't supposed to if you left it within reach.

Good Morning Mom!

Well YOU turned your back for 2 seconds!

Sigh.....Thanks for your help Easton

Don't forget Easter dresses!

Here's a brand new one!

How to raise a Happy Child

For more click Sean Platt

1. Let your child know you are excited to see them when they enter the room. Let them see the light dance inside your eyes when their gaze drifts into yours. Be mindful of their presence by showing them your smile and greeting them warmly. Say their name out loud. Not only do children love to hear the sound of their name, they also long to feel validation from their loved ones. Think about it from an adult perspective – wouldn’t you love it if the face of the person you loved most lit like a holiday parade every time you entered the room? Your child loves you the most, imagine the returns after a childhood filled with such affection.

2. Teach your child it’s okay to be bored. As parents, it’s often our instinct to entertain our children each and every waking hour. When we don’t possess the time or energy, it is all too easy to allow the glowing blue babysitter in the living room to do the heavy lifting. But when we rely on television, or any other form of autopilot attention, we succeed only in limiting our child’s development. Children have vivid imaginations that flourish upon nurturing. But without the opportunity to coax their creativity, it will only whither on the vine. Allow your child idle minutes to develop their creativity with hands-on activities to stimulate their thought. A few sheets of paper and a box of crayons can keep a well rounded child busy for far longer than an episode of Dora.

3. Limit your child’s media. Related, but not limited to number two. Limiting your child’s exposure to media isn’t only a positive move for promoting their creativity, it is an excellent method to broaden their attention span while grooming their ability to stay calm. Your child will have plenty of exposure to more than you want soon enough. During those precious years when you are the designer of their decisions, you must make sure they are learning to live a life independent from the over-exposure that is often too easy to rely on. Yes it is difficult, but we owe it to the next generation to search for the right road rather than the easy one.

4. Let your child know they are more important than work by giving them eye contact and attention. Your child doesn’t just need you around, they need you present. Play with your child, interact with them, find out what is important to them by asking questions and listening to their answers. Your child deserves at least a little bit of you each and every day, at least a few minutes where you are not considering your email or allowing your thoughts to wander over what’s been left sitting on your desk. Letting your child know they are important is like giving them an insulin shot of happy.

5. Let your child make a few of the rules. You don’t have to make them the boss to let them feel empowered. Often, power struggles with our children are the direct result of them feeling a loss of control. You can easily curb these instances by allowing your child to feel like they are part of making up some of the protocol. By at least appearing to give your child some of the control, you are helping them understand household law inside and out. This will lead directly to a willingness to follow.

6. Teach your child – don’t assume it’s all happening outside the house.Home schooling is every parent’s job. Whether your child attends public or private school, or receives all their schooling at home, it is essential to the world’s best future that parents are the ones to fill in the blanks. There are plenty of skills not taught in school that play a massive role in determining who your children will grow up to be. Children are not raised in tupperware, and when they finally leave us to enter the world far away from our watchful eyes, they must have the sharpened tools that will help them be the best that they can be.

7. Model appropriate behavior. In my opinion, this is the most important item on the list. Children do as they see, not as they’re told. If you want your child to be mindful of others, you must be mindful of others yourself. If you want your child to by happy, you must smile without hesitation. There is no one more influential to your child than you. At least for now.

Raising a happy child is hard work, but it is something that can and must be done.  Once you focus on the needs of your child and ensure you are doing all you can to meet them, your efforts will be rewarded. You will have a healthy and happy child, fortunate to have been raised in a family where childhood wasn’t permitted to simply fade away

More and more shoes! 24 shoes! (sorry we've been reading Dr.Seuss)

"A Snapshot" of family

My dad holding Reagan

Easton loved going swimming with Kaylee

My little piggy getting a drink from Great Grandma

...and some ice cream from Auntie Kaylee

On the carousal with Grandma and Uncle Carson

Eating ice cream again (remember the bowl he made?)

Uncle Carson came over and read to Easton

...and taught him to use chalk (it's not for eating!)

Have a birthday coming up?

Get the whole article from KATRINA L. CASSEL

Getting ready for a birthday party can unnerve even a normally well-organized parent. A surprising number of details need to be planned. Here are some tips that will smooth the way to your child’s birthday bash.

What Kind of Party?

The first step in planning your party is to decide on the basics.

• Will the party be at home or away? If you have a small house or it isn’t child- or teen-proof, you might want to have the party at a facility. If you have enough room or a yard where you can have a cookout or set up games, you might want to host the party yourself. If the party’s outside, have a back up plan in case of rain.
• Set the number of guests. Some parents use the rule of one child per candle on the cake.
• Determine how much you can spend. Parties at pizza places, skating rinks and other facilitiess run from $6-$15 per child. Parties at home usually cost less. (See accompanying article, Birthday Parties on 3 Budgets.)
• Decide on the theme. Let your child help you plan. For younger children, pick a theme and plan simple games around it. For example, if you choose a Blues Clues theme, make everything blue. Pin the tail on a blue dog. Play games with blue balloons. Older children might want a theme based on a reality show or a mystery to solve.
• Keep the party short. For preschool children, 90 minutes is long enough. Plan parties for the morning before nap time. School-age parties shouldn’t be more than three hours.

Ideas for Kids’ Parties

Does your party planning need a jumpstart? Here are some favorite kids’ party themes.

Art/Craft Parties. You can purchase simple crafts supplies and kits for home, or pay for a certain number of children to make a project at a craft store.

Cooking Parties. They can be as simple as decorating cupcakes or as elaborate as the kids working together to create a special menu.

Live Animal Parties. Meet at a zoo or arrange for a zoo or nature center to bring the animals to you. Check references and safety issues ahead.

Storybook/dress up parties.Either have little ones come dressed in a certain theme — favorite character, prince or princess, zoo animal — or have dress-up clothes available. Take pictures on a digital camera or Polaroid for souvenirs.

Tea Parties. Tea parties and teddy bear tea parties are popular for the youngest partygoers. School-age girls sometimes enjoy a more formal tea party fashioned after an adult affair.

Detective Parties. School-age children will enjoy finding clues and solving a mystery, especially if it results in treats at the end.

The Next Steps

Your next set of decisions includes what food, party favors and place settings you need. What do you need for games? What will go in the party bags? Make your first stop the dollar store. You can often find the same items for less than you might at a party shop.

• Line up entertainment or facility, if any. Meet the entertainer if possible. Don’t forget to ask for and check references. Book your party well in advance if you’re having it away from home. You might get a better deal if you have the party Monday-Thursday rather than on the weekend.
• Send invitations. Give the date, time, address, directions, your phone number for RSVPs, and if special dress or preparation is called for, the theme. It’s okay to follow up with phone calls.
• Arrange for help. Parents might volunteer to stay and help. Don’t be reluctant to ask. Consider hiring your babysitter for the party if it’s for younger children. She can help supervise games, serve refreshments and trouble shoot.
• Plan plenty of short games. Have more than you think you’ll need in case a game goes more quickly than you expect or flops. Have a favorite video ready for extra time.
• Have extra treats. Someone unexpected might show up. A parent might forget to RSVP or a sibling could tag along. A prize might get broken or a cupcake dropped.
• Check ahead for food allergies if you don’t know all the children personally. It can be disconcerting to have a four-year-old come to a party and not be able to eat the cake.

Party Day

Now that the big day is here, there are a few tips that will make the day breeze by.

• Don’t worry about having a spotless house. Children don’t care if the bathroom is sparkling or the carpet freshly steam cleaned. Tidy up and save your energy for the party.
• Pick up the cake early. Check that you have enough treats, plastic silverware, plates and other items.
• Be flexible. Keep a sense of humor. The point of the party is to have fun, not to have everything perfect. Someone will spill a drink. A plastic prize will get stepped on and broken. Deal with it and move on.
• Guests might arrive early. Have a video playing or a craft set ready.
• Have the birthday child say thank you when the gifts are opened.
• Have a final fun send off. You might need an activity for the partygoers waiting to be picked up.